Overview

In this lesson students will be introduced to the three main types of commercial egg farm systems used throughout Australia. They will learn about the challenges surrounding supply and demand in the egg industry and the importance of understanding consumer choices.

Aims & Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson students will demonstrate a basic understanding of:

The nature of limited resources versus unlimited needs and wants

Choices and decisions that need to be made regarding consumer demand

The different methods of egg farming and why there is consumer choice in Australia

Australian Curriculum

Key Learning Area: Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) Economics and BusinessThe difference between needs and wants and why choices need to be made about how limited resources are used ( ACHASSK119)

Use the interactive activity Which Farm Is Which? Show students photographs of the three different types of egg farming practices that exist in Australia.

Ask the students to look closely at each photograph. Read through the series of statements listed in random order, students need to match each statement to its’ correct picture.

Explain that Australia has three different systems of commercial egg farming practices namely, cage, barn and free range. Students correctly label each photograph with the egg farming system it belongs to.

Pose the question ‘Why do you think there are three different types of commercial egg farming, if all eggs come from a hen?’ Discuss. Explain that consumers have different needs and make decisions based on the price and the way hens are housed. Some people choose to buy their eggs based on price alone, the most affordable being caged eggs, whilst others like their eggs to come from hens that have been housed in more traditional ways, pre-World War II over 50 years ago. These are free range eggs. Some people like an in-between option and choose barn laid eggs.

Hands on experience: Provide the class with examples of a cage, barn and free-range egg carton. The cartons should include the price, as well as an egg from each system (ensure you have no students with egg allergies in your class before undertaking this activity). Students spend ten minutes in small groups identifying which type of egg farming system was used to produce the eggs, the cost, the nutritional information panel, the size of each egg etc. Using the, Compare and Contrast Table, provided in the interactive lesson students compare and contrast their findings on the interactive whiteboard.

Divide the class into three equal groups and assign each one of the three egg farming systems. Students read through the information provided on their particular system and identify the advantages and disadvantages in terms of cost, efficiency, animal welfare, food safety and environmental impact. Define the terms efficiency, animal welfare and environmental impact. Students may need several lessons to complete this task.

Each group creates a visual presentation of the advantages and disadvantages of their system using a presentation app such as Prezi or a similar app. Students create presentations based on the information they have researched and present their findings to the class via the interactive whiteboard.

Extension idea: As a class, revise the structure and language of the discussion writing genre. Using the interactive whiteboard, jointly construct a discussion arguing the points for and against each egg farming system.

Conclusion

Conduct a mini class debate on the topic ‘What egg farming system in Australia has the most benefits to the consumer?’ Students argue their viewpoint from the perspective of the hen, the consumer and the farmer. As the teacher, adjudicate the debate and provide feedback to your students.

10. Some free range egg farmers keep trained dogs with their hens when they are outside, to protect them from ________________.

Poachers, predators, bad weather

Based on Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) materials downloaded from the Australian Curriculum website on March 2018. ACARA does not endorse any changes that have been made to the Australian Curriculum.

Overview

In this lesson students will be introduced to the three main types of commercial egg farm systems used throughout Australia. They will learn about the challenges surrounding supply and demand in the egg industry and the importance of understanding consumer choices.

Aims & Objectives

Upon completion of this lesson students will demonstrate a basic understanding of:

The nature of limited resources versus unlimited needs and wants

Choices and decisions that need to be made regarding consumer demand

The different methods of egg farming and why there is consumer choice in Australia

Australian Curriculum

Key Learning Area: Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) Economics and BusinessThe difference between needs and wants and why choices need to be made about how limited resources are used ( ACHASSK119)

Use the interactive activity Which Farm Is Which? Show students photographs of the three different types of egg farming practices that exist in Australia.

Ask the students to look closely at each photograph. Read through the series of statements listed in random order, students need to match each statement to its’ correct picture.

Explain that Australia has three different systems of commercial egg farming practices namely, cage, barn and free range. Students correctly label each photograph with the egg farming system it belongs to.

Pose the question ‘Why do you think there are three different types of commercial egg farming, if all eggs come from a hen?’ Discuss. Explain that consumers have different needs and make decisions based on the price and the way hens are housed. Some people choose to buy their eggs based on price alone, the most affordable being caged eggs, whilst others like their eggs to come from hens that have been housed in more traditional ways, pre-World War II over 50 years ago. These are free range eggs. Some people like an in-between option and choose barn laid eggs.

Hands on experience: Provide the class with examples of a cage, barn and free-range egg carton. The cartons should include the price, as well as an egg from each system (ensure you have no students with egg allergies in your class before undertaking this activity). Students spend ten minutes in small groups identifying which type of egg farming system was used to produce the eggs, the cost, the nutritional information panel, the size of each egg etc. Using the, Compare and Contrast Table, provided in the interactive lesson students compare and contrast their findings on the interactive whiteboard.

Divide the class into three equal groups and assign each one of the three egg farming systems. Students read through the information provided on their particular system and identify the advantages and disadvantages in terms of cost, efficiency, animal welfare, food safety and environmental impact. Define the terms efficiency, animal welfare and environmental impact. Students may need several lessons to complete this task.

Each group creates a visual presentation of the advantages and disadvantages of their system using a presentation app such as Prezi or a similar app. Students create presentations based on the information they have researched and present their findings to the class via the interactive whiteboard.

Extension idea: As a class, revise the structure and language of the discussion writing genre. Using the interactive whiteboard, jointly construct a discussion arguing the points for and against each egg farming system.

Conclusion

Conduct a mini class debate on the topic ‘What egg farming system in Australia has the most benefits to the consumer?’ Students argue their viewpoint from the perspective of the hen, the consumer and the farmer. As the teacher, adjudicate the debate and provide feedback to your students.

10. Some free range egg farmers keep trained dogs with their hens when they are outside, to protect them from ________________.

Poachers, predators, bad weather

Based on Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) materials downloaded from the Australian Curriculum website on March 2018. ACARA does not endorse any changes that have been made to the Australian Curriculum.